The historic tradition of wedding night-virginity test among Sri Lankan muslim women

Noor Naleefa Abdul Wadood, Mimi Hanida Abdul Mutalib, Yew Wong Chin

Abstract


Studies all around the world confirm that virginity tests are conducted to find out a girl’s chastity and are celebrated in wedding ceremonies as a ritual among Sri Lankan Muslim women. This study attempts to provide a thriving understanding of the impacts of traumatic experiences related to the virginity test on Sri Lankan Muslim women's wedding nights. This study is a qualitative study with phenomenological aspects. Due to the sensitivity and hardness of selecting cases, the snowball sampling method was used. Accordingly, the current study was conducted in selected communities among Sri Lankan Muslims, and cases were selected from married Muslim women. Hence, nine cases were able to be studied in depth as case narratives; a focus group discussion and key informants were used to collect data. Study findings reveal that family members and relatives play an active role in the culture of testing virginity. It is perceived that the absence of blood stains has led to discomforts, doubts, misunderstandings, trauma, and violence in women’s lives. The study concludes that passive behavior, lack of proper sexual education, and shame and doubt related to sexuality have led Muslim women to face misery in their lives.

 

Keywords: Sri Lankan Muslims, traditional ritual, violence against women, virginity test, wedding night virginity test, weird practices.


Keywords


Sri Lankan Muslims, traditional ritual, violence against women, virginity test, wedding night virginity test, weird practices

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adelman, H. T. (2009). Virginity: Women’s Body as a State of Mind: Destiny Becomes Biology. The Jewish Body, 179–214. https://doi.org/10.1163/ej.9789004167186. i-490.36

Amy, J. (2008). Certificates of virginity and reconstruction of the hymen. The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, 13(2), 111–113. https://doi.org/10.1080/13625180802106045

BBC News. (2018, February 1). The fight to ban a “humiliating” virginity test for newlyweds. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-42814681

BBC News. (2011, March 24). Egypt women protesters forced to take “virginity tests.” BBC News. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-12854391

Behrens, K. G. (2014). Virginity testing in South Africa: a cultural concession taken too far? South African Journal of Philosophy, 33(2), 177–187. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/02580136.2014.912471

Brown, N., McIlwraith, T. & de González, L. T. (2020). Perspectives: An Open Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, 2nd Edition. American Anthropological Association.

BSA. (2017). BSA Statement of Ethical Practice. BSA Publications.

Careem, Z. (2001 November 04). Virginity test: The young woman’s nightmare. The Island- Leisure.

Caulfield, J. (2023, June 22). How to do thematic analysis | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/thematic-analysis/

Delgross, S. (2019). The Mythological role of the hymen in virginity testing. Articulāte, 24(4), 35-41.

De Silva, V., Munzeer, D., Sansoni, D. & Blacker, D. 2000. Cultural Rhapsody: Ceremonial food and rituals of Sri Lanka. Unilever Cultural Conversation Trust of Sri Lanka.

Ekanayaka, E. M. Y. G. (2017). Ensuring the Rights of the Girl Child by Amending ‘the Minimum age of Marriage’ under Muslim Law in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Business, Economics and Law, 14(4), 43-48. https://www.ijbel.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/LAW-49-1.pdf

Gangopadhyay, J. (2019, October 7). Pure Patriarchy: Hymenoplasty Commodifies Women, Breaches Privacy Rights. Down To Earth. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/health/pure-patriarchy-hymenoplasty-commodifies-women-breaches-privacy-rights-67050

Glinski, S. (2020, October 19). Afghan women illegally forced into “virginity tests”. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-women-rights-trfn-idUSKBN2741I0/

Group, I. F. E. (2015). Statement on virginity testing. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 33, 121–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2015.02.012

Heath, N. (2018, January 16). The historic tradition of wedding night-virginity testing. SBSVoices. https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/voices/relationships/article/2018/01/10/historic-tradition-wedding-night-virginity-testing#

Hussein, A. (2023, March 27). Three strange Sri Lankan customs and the stories behind them - Roar Media. Roar Media. https://roar.media/english/life/history/ three-strange-sri-lankan-customs-and-their-fascinating-origins

Hymen & virginity. (2021, February 5). The Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka.

Jones, M. D., & Crow, D. A. (2017). How can we use the ‘science of stories’ to produce persuasive scientific stories? Palgrave Communications, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-017-0047-7

Khambati, N. (2014). India’s two finger test after rape violates women and should be eliminated from medical practice. BMJ, 348, g3336. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g3336

Kiger, M. E., & Varpio, L. (2020). Thematic analysis of qualitative data: AMEE Guide No. 131. Medical Teacher, 42(8), 846–854. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 0142159x.2020.1755030

Kine, P. (2020, October 28). Dispatches: Indonesia ‘Virginity Tests’ run amok. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/02/09/dispatches-indonesia-virginity-tests-run-amok

Kirchherr, J., & Charles, K. (2018). Enhancing the sample diversity of snowball samples: Recommendations from a research project on anti-dam movements in Southeast Asia. PLOS ONE, 13(8), e0201710. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0201710

Matswetu, V. S., & Bhana, D. (2018). Humhandara and hujaya: Virginity, culture, and gender inequalities among adolescents in Zimbabwe. SAGE Open, 8(2), 215824401877910. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018779107

Mernissi, F. (1982). Virginity and Patriarchy. Women's Studies International Forum, 5(2), 183-191. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-5395(82)90026-7

Mojapelo, L. (2022, August 30). Virginity testing ‘sacred’ but not a science. Africa Check. https://africacheck.org/reports/virginity-testing-sacred-but-not-a- science/

MWRAF. (1999). Between two worlds: Muslim women in a multi ethnic society. Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum.

Nikirashidi, F., Ghorashi, Z., Esmaeilzadeh, S., & Asadollahi, Z. (2019). A study on association of premarital attitude toward intact hymen in new grooms: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 8(52). https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_161_18

Olson, R. & Garcia-Moreno, C. 2017. Virginity testing: a systematic review. Reproductive Health, 14(61), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-017-0319-0

Percy, J. (2021). Love crimes. Harper’s Magazine. http://harpers.org/archive/2015/01/love-crimes/

Robatjazi, M., Simbar, M., Nahidi, F., Gharehdaghi, J., Emamhadi, M., Vedadhir, A., & Alavimajd, H. (2015). Virginity testing beyond a medical examination. Global Journal of Health Science, 8(7), 152. https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v8n7p152

Samaranayake, K. (2019, July 12). Myths and Facts about Virginity. Daily Mirror.

Schaffir, J., MD. (2020). The Hymen’s Tale: Myths and facts about the hymen. Ohio State Health & Discovery. https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/myths-and-facts-about-hymen

Shalhoub-Kevorkian, N. (2005). Imposition of virginity testing: a life-saver or a license to kill? Social Science & Medicine, 60(6), 1187–1196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2004.07.015

STOPVAW. (2018). Virginity Test. The Advocates for Human Rights. https://www.stopvaw.org/harmful_practices_virginity_tests

Swaartbooi-Xabadiya, Z. N. M. (2014). Virginity Testing: Perceptions of Adolescent Girls in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. New Voices in Psychology, 10(1), 16–34. https://doi.org/10.25159/1812-6371/3412

Taghinejadi, N. (2022, February 13). Recreational Virginity and the False Promise of Artificial Hymens. WIRED. https://www.wired.com/story/sex-reproductive-health-virginity/

Thilakerathne, C. (2000, July 09). Chastity or Casual Sex. The Sunday Times

Van Moorst, B. R., Van Lunsen, R. H. W., Van Dijken, D. K. E., & Salvatore, C. M. (2012). Backgrounds of women applying for hymen reconstruction, the effects of counselling on myths and misunderstandings about virginity, and the results of hymen reconstruction. The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, 17(2), 93–105. https://doi.org/10.3109/13625187. 2011.649866

WHO. (2018, October 17). United Nations agencies call for ban on virginity testing. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/17-10-2018-united-nations-agencies-call-for-ban-on-virginity-testing


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.